


This

by rivlee



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-26
Updated: 2013-03-26
Packaged: 2017-12-06 13:55:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/736433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rivlee/pseuds/rivlee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's not a good day in Carwood's classroom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amorekay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amorekay/gifts).



Carwood Lipton had started teaching at the Nixon School three years ago. It was a magnet-school-like-academic-charity project that came out of Lewis Nixon’s need for good press. The reason for its creation didn’t bother Carwood; it allowed inner-city kids to get a scholarship-based private-school level education. Carwood taught the youngest children though; a kindergarten class open for all. He had two teaching assistants to help manage the large class. It was a push to make sure there were enough adults on hand to make each child feel like there was someone there they could talk to and would always listen.

Carwood sort of adored his job. It was exhausting often; infuriating at times for realizing what some of these young kids had to struggle with already in life, but it was a responsibility he gladly took on. All kids who started off in their kindergarten were offered places in the first grade. Carwood felt it was his duty to prepare both the children, and their parents or guardians, for a long future dedicated to study. 

Each Thursday Carwood was called away for meetings with concerned parents and members of the community. Shifty Powers, folk singer and master storyteller extraordinaire, would come in and entertain the kids while Carwood’s assistants, George Luz and Frank Perconte, prepared for naptime. This week was different. Shifty had the flu, and Carwood was worried about the mini-mutiny which would occur once word leaked out. He had to get _someone_ to cover the time. The _last_ time he left George and Frank completely in charge, absent a good influence, the kids had a lesson in dirty limericks. 

Carwood had turned to the only other adult he knew free that day, at that time. He was already regretting it and the special guest hadn’t even arrived. He checked the clock for the fifth time in as many minutes and was getting ready to step out to the hall and rip a certain Army officer a new one over the phone, when a familiar face glanced through the tiny window in the door.

“Okay, kids, gather around on the magic carpet,” Carwood said.

There was a thunderous collective yell of _Mr. Shifty_. Oh, holy hell, this was going to be a disaster of Chernobyl levels. Carwood continued to smile through the fear as he opened the door.

“You’re late,” he murmured to Major Ron Speirs.

“Check your watch, Lip, I’m just on time,” Ron said. He winked at him as he brushed by, standing at attention in the middle of the room.

“That’s not Mr. Shifty,” Joey Howell felt the need to clearly inform the room. 

“Mr. Shifty’s home with the flu,” Carwood said. He tried not to laugh at the thirty-two suddenly sad faces staring up at him.

“Is his momma talking care of him?” Sania Patel asked. 

“More like his Laeta is taking care of him,” Luz said. Carwood glared at him, and the little traitor Perco at his side. 

“I am certain Mr. Shifty’s going to be just fine,” Carwood said.

“Death from the flu isn’t unknown, but he’s a healthy young man,” Ron agreed. Carwood didn’t have words to respond to that. He just stared at Ron until he shrugged. “What?” he asked in a low voice. “You can’t expect me to lie to children, Lip.”

He could, he so could, in fact he _hoped_ Ron would find the good sense to _try_. “Just don’t tell them about how many men you’ve killed. Or how you did it. In fact, stay away from anything to deal with death.” He turned back to the kids and smiled. “Since Mr. Shifty had to stay home and rest, Major Ron has offered to share some stories with you this afternoon. He’s an officer in our Armed Forces.”

Thirty-two skeptical glances studied Ron and his street clothes. 

“He doesn’t look like a soldier,” Pear Nowlin said, her tiny voice barely heard over the laughter coming from Luz and Perco in the back. 

Carwood kind of hated everyone today. 

“I’m undercover,” Ron said. He turned to Carwood. “Don’t you have a meeting to get to? Mr. Punctuality’s about to be late.”

Carwood smiled as he leaned in to pat Ron on the back. “You fuck with my kids and I will hunt you down and castrate you with an oyster shell,” he calmly informed him. 

To his credit, Ron didn’t even bat an eyelash. He just nodded his head like a good little solider and said, “Understood.”

*********************

“You were uncharacteristically distracted today,” Director Richard Winters said as the last of the concerned potential parents left the conference room.

“Shifty’s sick, I had to get a replacement,” Carwood said. He took a deep breath. “I picked Ron, and I’ve been having terrible visions of what poison his letting soak into their little sponge-like brains. If they all come back tomorrow talking about death and quoting T.S. Eliot, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

Director Winters nodded in understanding. He patted Carwood’s shoulder in sympathy. “I wouldn’t worry too much. Trust in Luz and Perco to save them from any truly emotional scarring disasters. You never know, it could be good for Ron to adjust his normal nature to dealing with children.”

Carwood shook his head. “I don’t think he’s capable of adjustment. He has pointed arguments with our dog.”

“He knows how much those kids mean to you,” Richard said.

“Yeah,” Carwood admitted, “but I don’t think he can help himself sometimes.” More like _all_ the time, but there were things his boss didn’t need to know about his partner.

Carwood _did not_ run back to his classroom; that would’ve been undignified and also against the rules and safety placards posted throughout the school. He did power-walk, but that was good for his heart anyway. What _wasn’t_ good was walking into the dead silence of his classroom. The kids, and Perco and Luz, were just kind of staring at Ron who nonchalantly stared back at them.

It was actually _worse_ than Carwood imagined.

“Did we have a fun story afternoon?” he asked, even though the answer was obvious. The kids hadn’t even started their naps yet. 

“I certainly did,” Ron said. He nodded to the children gathered at his feet. “Always nice to see the eager youth. If in ten years or so any of you are interested in joining the Forces, track down Mr. Carwood here, and I’ll gladly talk to you.”

“They’ll be fourteen,” Carwood hissed at him.

“Perfect preparation for JROTC,” Ron said. He gripped the back of Carwood’s neck. “I’ll see you at home,” he whispered.

Every single head in the classroom turned to watch him go. It was only once the door closed that noise exploded in the room.

“He said he punched out Santa Claus,” Pear said.

“Mr. Carwood, is it true pencils can be used as weapons?” Sania asked.

“Mr. Carwood, is he really your husband?” Joey asked. “’Cause he’s kind of more awesome than Diego!”

“No, he’s more awesome than Jake and the Neverland Pirates,” Mario Burton argued.

“Mr. Carwood, did you really get stuck up on the roof one time?” Kisha Covington asked.

“Mr. Carwood, is your dog really named Douche?” Luz asked.

Carwood Lipton, aged thirty-three and a third, suddenly regretted every moment of his life that had led him up to this.


End file.
